Ice scraper

After days of forgetting, i finally remembered to put my ice scraper back in my car. I guess i often remembered, but i was never at a place where i could do something about it. Teaching kids to subtract three digit numbers with two regroupings as the vision of my ice scraper entered my head was not a useful time. Nor was it when i was sitting in a dreadful meeting this morning or in the shower this morning. But, today as i was washing dishes, the image of my ice scraper came to me. I didn't want to stop to dry my hands only to get them wet again, so I told TJ "when i turn off the water, can you blurt out ice scraper for me?" He didn't need to. . .just the effort of saying ice scraper made me remember once the water was turned off. Finally, i can be at peace. What a day full of success. I hope you had a day that was as successful as mine.

Goodbye Grumpiness

Have you ever had one of those days of unexplained grumpiness? That describes my day (poor TJ) I think school is to blame, but i am not sure. I had such a wonderful day yesterday setting up my villages, sewing, reading, shopping for a table, and relaxing. Then today happened. I decided that i did not need to devote all day to school work, so i decided to go shopping. I think that made it worse. Because i had to eventually come home and get to work. Report cards are due this week, along with parent teacher conferences and only one day that has planning for me this week.

So, now i finally feel the grumpiness leaving me. Maybe it leaves when baby ellis kicks. Maybe it leaves when i relax with a good book, turn off most of the lights except for my lighted village. Maybe it leaves when i eat a dark chocolate drenched mint milano cookie. Maybe it leaves when i see TJ enjoying his hobby in the garage by working on the built in. Whatever made it leave, i am thankful for. I hope this week goes quickly.

Thank You, Granna

With some of my granna's inheritance money, i ordered a new dining room table, bench, and chairs today from Bells of Whitehall. I have been wanting a new table for years now. Our current table only seats four, leaves no room in the middle for food, and is badly dinged up. We are thankful for the table. When TJ and i first got married, our table was a card table. Then Sarah gave us this table and four chairs. It is still a sturdy table, just not very big.

Granna has bought us the crib for baby ellis, our entertainment center, and our dresser. Because of her, we have some beautiful furniture. This table is one that will be with us forever. . . and we got it for a real excellent price. We went for the bench, to save our paint job on the wall that is so close to the table. . . and we love the look of benches. . . they are hard to find. It is a custom order because they can not keep them in stock, so we could get it anywhere from 1 week to 6. I hope sooner than later. Now when we have company, we can actually all sit down. How exciting!!

Thank You, Granna!

Description:

42"W X 60"(W/2-16"LF)-92"

Additional Information:

Solid oak trestle table features an equalizing ball bearing metal glide leaf system which allows a single person to use. Also has self storage for both leaves. The bench also has additional storage.

Apple Juice

TJ just got back from meijer and found the greatest apple juice on earth. It is called Simply Apple. . . we get Simply Orange, but didn't know they had apple. It has no preservatives and no added water. . . just 100% pure pressed apples. And it is pasteurized. Yippee Skippie!!! It is yummy goodness, especially with crushed ice.

Stranded with a Perfectly Good Car

Friday, i had to race to north muskegon from work to get my flu shot and then race back up by work to meet my friends for scrapbooking. My appointment was at 4, and they actually took me ten minutes early. I was so excited because that meant that i would not be late to scrapbooking and dinner. I got into my car, my arm a little soar, and put the key in the ignition and it would not turn. The steering wheel was completely locked and the ignition was too. Now this is just a reminder that i am pregnant, so i have the patience of a pregnant person, i just got a shot in my arm, i was supposed to be somewhere, i don't have a cell phone, and i am sitting in a one year old car that is refusing to let me start it. I tried for a half hour trying to start my car, tilt my steering wheel, read my owner's manual, move the gear shifter, insert the key gently, harshly, upside down. No luck. Because i didn't even have heat, it was starting to get cold. I went back into the doctor's office, asked to borrow their phone, and i called my husband. I am not going to write how it ended. . . you might be able to find the ending on his blog.

The result of this? We both have brand new, first ever cell phones. Mine is pink. The people at verizon could not believe that we had never had one. I think we are one of the last people to get one. We will see if we both need to have one. We went in thinking only one phone, but you know how it goes. I will have greater peace of mind this winter.

We are Back

It has been a long three days. A lot of waiting. A lot of tears. A lot of hugs. A lot of small talk. It feels good to be back. I tried unpacking our luggage and the stuff from my granna'a apartment, but i am so out of energy. Friday, right after school, i have friends coming over for scrapbooking, which means tomorrow night i need to clean the house and go grocery shopping so that i have something to feed them. Then in less than a week, we will be back on the east side of the state for Thanksgiving. Busy. My school plans are so screwed up, but i am not going to worry about it tonight. I feel like it is 9 and it is only 6. I am going to have to go to bed early tonight.

Well, just wanted to check in. I am going to go now.

Granna

My dad called at 10:30 last night to let us know that Granna had passed away. I don't think it will really hit me until i get into town and see the rest of my family. Plans are up in the air as of now, and i just continue to sit at home and wait. My dad's birthday is Monday. . . i don't think it is going to be a good day for him. I'm not sure of jason's plans. i miss him greatly. I need to make sub plans, but i am not sure for what days yet.

I feel really bad for my dad and my aunt. I am sure they are exhausted, sad, and numb. Yuck. . .

My Granna

Today my Grandma turned 85. I call her granna because she hates the sound of granny and grandmother sounded too snobby to her. . .so Granna was invented. When i called, my aunt picked up the phone, which is not abnormal because she lives there most of the week. What was abnormal is that when my aunt held the phone up to my granna's ear so that i could wish her a happy birthday there was moaning and groaning coming from the other end. I can still hear that horrible repeated groan. My aunt was just told by the hospice nurse that my granna has about 48 hours left in her life. She cried when telling me, and i cry when writing about it.

I don't really know what to do. I want to visit and say goodbye, but i don't want to visit a dying, groaning granna and say goodbye for the last time. The last time i left her, which was a couple of weeks ago, she was with it. We hugged and kissed and i told her i loved her. She returned the sentiment and then i waved and said i will see her soon. That is a better way to say goodbye i think. Or am i just in denial? I don't have any terrible visions of my mom dying. . . it was so sudden. I know George does and he probably replays them over and over in his head, like i play over and over in my head the phone conversation when he told me my mom was gone. I have terrible memories of my grandpa trying to breathe before he passed away. The rasping sound of him trying to get air will stay with me forever. Now, i have the sound of my granna's groans. Will i have any regrets if i don't go say goodbye? She knows i love her. Would she be happier if i came and said goodbye? Would she be with it enough to know? Right now, i have a vision of the last time i saw her in my head. . .of her propped up in her bedroom surrounded by family photos, hooked up to oxygen, smiling and laughing and being so excited to meet baby ellis. I think that is how i want to remember her. Is that being selfish?

Staying Home

I got up, felt pretty miserable, but decided i needed to go into school. I really don't have sick days to use. . .i guess i do if i don't get put on bed rest or don't have a C section. Otherwise i am short on sick days. I didn't put any eye make-up on due to constant watering of my eyes. By the time i got to work, i felt terrible. I decided that with a lot of new stuff i was introducing, two meetings to go to, and recess duty that it would be better for me if i stayed home and was able to rest. The day at school was not going to be an easy one, like on Friday when i felt crappy. So, i might have just taken an unpaid day off, but i do feel rested and better. I ate TJ's homemade chicken noodle soup and drank a ton of juice. I slept a ton. In fact, i never really left the couch. Now, i am going to bed to get even more sleep. Wednesday is our doctor appointment. . . hopefully we can hear our little girl's heart beat!!

My Morning

So far, i got up and sat on the couch for an hour and a half with a caffeine free chai latte and a box of kleenex. This should be a fun day. My plans for getting a lot done are vanishing. I just want to get better and fast. I think now i will drink a huge glass of orange juice mixed with sprite (an Ellis thing, not a Michael thing) and sit on the couch for a little longer. I did manage to get a Pregnancy magazine read, but i really wanted to do laundry, clean, and get my schoolwork done. YIKES!

Nasty Cold

I have had a nasty cold for the last couple of days. . . almost didn't make it through school on Friday due to my throat and voice. I am trying to rest up this weekend, but as i look around i see so much i need to do. On Friday, i came right home from school and we went to GR to Babies R Us to register. That was so much fun. TJ was so helpful. Instead of saying "i don't know" he gave his opinion and helped immensely with the big stuff. He had already done a lot of reading/research on the stroller and car seat. It took a long time, and we kind of knew what big stuff we wanted already. It was things like bottles that was so overwhelming we just skipped it. There are so many kinds and we had no idea. We can update our registry online once we decide, and we want to register at Target too. They have the cutest classic pooh stuff and they are close to everyone. TJ got us a room at the new Marriott and we stayed the night. He got a room with a soaking tub, which is just what i needed after a long day on my feet. It felt wonderful. We woke up and headed to the Brandywine to eat the best breakfast food and to say hello to my brother, who appeared not to have to work there today. That kind of stunk.

I came home and took a nap. I feel pretty miserable. I hope Baby Ellis doesn't even know that i am sick. . .

Celebrating

After our ultrasound we planned on going out to eat to celebrate...if it was a boy we were going to New Holland Brewing Company (TJ suggested that knowing it was far away, but also being confident we were having a girl). If it was a girl we were going to go to 2 Tonys in Spring Lake. I had the tastiest Fettuccine Alfredo ever! Then we went to Target to buy a little newborn hat. :)

Check out the baby ellis blog for more details.